The Gap Before WrestleMania

The Illusion of Progress in WWE’s Biggest Season WrestleMania is almost here… …but something still feels off. Because this week exposed a gap in WWE’s biggest season: 👉 RAW feels like it’s tightening everything 👉 SmackDown still feels like it’s trying to catch up And that difference? It matters more than people think. On this episode of Turnbuckle Talk Wrestling: • Randy Orton’s story continues to be the most complete thing on SmackDown • Cody Rhodes might be the biggest question mark heading into WrestleMania • Why Brock Lesnar vs Oba Femi feels like the REAL main event • Seth Rollins vs Gunther — and why Seth might not even be the story • The IC Title ladder match problem nobody is talking about • Punk vs Roman finally gets physical — and why it needed to This isn’t a recap show. This is about: 👉 what’s actually working 👉 what’s not 👉 and whether WWE is building momentum… or just creating the illusion of it. 🎧 Available on Apple, Spotify & Amazon Music ⭐ If we earned it — leave us a 5-star rating 🔥 Join the TTW Discord for PLE watch-alongs, real-time reactions & unfiltered debates 👉 Link in description Chapters 00:00WrestleMania Build-Up: SmackDown vs. Raw 03:44Character Development and Storytelling 06:36Randy Orton's Storyline and The Mystery Phone 09:42Cody Rhodes' Return and Feud Dynamics 12:43Pull-Apart Brawls: Necessity vs. Overuse 15:38Cody Rhodes: The Inevitable Heel Turn 18:42The Future of WWE: Heels and Babyfaces 21:50Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill: Title Implications 32:26Rhea Ripley's Title Feud and Performance 33:53Cody Rhodes and Stephanie McMahon's Tension 41:06Danhausen's Curse and Tag Team Chaos 49:59Liv Morgan's Feud and Roxanne's Return 58:37Women's Tag Team Match Build-Up 59:59Brock Lesnar and Omos' Intense Standoff 01:01:55Building Tension: The Brock and Oba Feud 01:10:48Missed Opportunities: Balor vs. Dominic 01:18:26Ladder Match Build-Up: Penta's Challenge 01:28:52WrestleMania Build-Up and Audibles 01:31:50Gunther's Return and Fan Reactions 01:34:41The Role of Paul Heyman and Future Storylines 01:37:42Seth Rollins vs. Gunther: The Bigger Picture 01:40:50Potential Outcomes and Future Feuds 01:43:38Women's Division: EO and Raquel's Match 01:46:32Main Event Dynamics: Roman and Punk's Feud 01:55:47WrestleMania Build-Up and Expectations 02:03:42Analyzing the WrestleMania Card 02:11:39Disappointment with Pat McAfee's Involvement 02:16:34Final Thoughts and Future Prospects 02:17:25Introduction to TTW and Community Engagement 02:17:26The Importance of Discord in Wrestling Discussions